Werewolf Falling
by mangos
Summary: I couldn't find the category for a book called Werewolf rising, so i put it here. This is my first ever fanfic, please be nice. It's about a werewolf called suki and her struggles. May end up continuing w/ Laina & Adrian's story too...
1. The Massacre

Whimpering, the young female wolf trotted through the scattered pines and firs. Her black pelt with silver streaks shimmered in the pale light of twilight. This proud predator was now reduced to a pitifully thin figure. On her back paw, a gash simmered an ugly red with dried blood. Her injured limb stiffened with every step.

Sniffing the wind, the she-wolf cautiously limped towards a steel cage. The bait was raw meat; which was, as the wolf's nose sensed, old and stale. But it was undoubtedly a hard-to-come-by meal. Although hungry, she made sure there were no traces of the people that were sure to set a trap for any of the packs in the surrounding area. Satisfied that the field was safe, she inched even closer. The lone wolf proceeded to tread lightly into the confining pen and daintily snapped up the measly snack with glistening mouthful of white teeth. The door slammed shut with a "clip", but the wolf seemed to expect the noise and did not startle the slightest bit. She circled three times and curled up in deep exhaustion.


	2. Memories

I awoke with a start; and remained mercifully disoriented until the events of the past few days began to flood back. Ulric, the pack's alpha male, had ordered me, as the only female with pups at the time, away to the safety of dense forest. I remembered when the warning had come of search squadrons barely moments away, with no doubt that they knew the location of the once safe village. The memory of creeping back to deathly silence shattered me; the whole pack had been wiped out. Luc, Ranger, Luna, Nuri, Killian, Risa, Wiley, Niall, Teague; all of them were dead at the hands of abolitionists. The worst was the sight of their bodies; all of them crimson with blood, even the youngest ones. Grief hit me like a punch in the gut at the realization that Luc would never see our pups. Gone.

So absorbed was I in sorrow that I took no notice of the room until I put forth a conscious effort to do so. Through the haze of crushing solitude, I realized my wound was wrapped in gauze. Scrambling at anything to hold my attention from cruel memory, I examined my leg closer. The bandages had a repulsive scent to it and I had no desire to attempt to unravel the unnecessary bandage. Looking around myself, I saw a plain white room with a whole wall of open chain link fencing and a sturdy door to match. In a corner was a type of den with crude bedding which I assumed was for me. Uh, talk about inconsiderate. Focusing on my human body and forcing calm over hysteria, I tugged into my alternate form. A rustle of air was the only indication that where a wolf had been now stood a young woman.

I gasped in pain and my eyes flew to my left leg. The limb had an offending purple rip from ankle to knee. Although it had been inflicted only days ago, the wound already had scabbed over and looked weeks old. Most other wounds had faded. Except one, one scar on my heart that would never heal. I heard a "tip-tap" of footsteps approaching; and I decided against shifting back. After the efficient little "click" of a key turning, the man opened the gate.


	3. Interrogation

A/N: ummm…hi! Sorry, I tried writing in first person, but it doesn't fit with the way I want to write this story. I don't know if Christopher's reaction to suki is realistic. Btw of you want to know what suki looks like (did I already put this in another chapter?):

"She had black hair all down her back and pale green piercing eyes that contrasted with olive-toned skin. Medium-height and thin to the extreme, the young woman looked as though she had not eaten for days, which was probably the case. The one exception to her emaciated look was her bulging waist that closely resembled a basketball noticeable even under her loosely fitted bulky wool blouse."

A man in a heavy suit and leather gloves stepped into her cubicle. She could see the man was fair-haired and youthfully thin and fit under the bulky suit. His face was defined, almost chiseled. The woman shuddered inwardly, thinking of how similar this man was to another pale man, a more sinister character. His actions were more abominable than that of the pack could be. Thinking of Stephen sent torrents of rage through her as she remembered with disgust how easily he had betrayed their location.

He sputtered, lost for words.

Slightly recovering from his shock, the man recited with reprimand and authority coloring his tone, "Miss, visitors and tourists are not allowed entrance into the new arrivals section. Will you please explain how you got here while I escort you to security?"

Suki eyed him calmly until his controlled firmness gave way to baffled silence. She couldn't help a hysterical giggle at his confusion.

She guessed that less was more in this situation and stated simply by way of explanation, "I am Suki. I am the wolf."

His eyes darted to her leg and a flurry of protests followed. Suki ignored his objections and conviction that he was insane. She simply shape-shifted back to wolf form. He stood stock still and gaped at the undernourished dog-like form before his eyes.

"Can you understand me?"

Suki nodded for a yes.

"Will you change back?" he pressed.

Not bothering to answer this time, a human Suki smiled at the man. She noted that his identification badge read the name "Christopher."

Breaking her train of thought, Christopher stated, "You're expecting."

It was obviously not a question.

Suki held her grief off her face and exasperatedly ranted, "No, I was absolutely unaware; I just thought I was extremely overweight!"

"Of course I'm pregnant! Do you know what I need? Obviously not! For starters, I don't like kennels, I am not a dog! I need bedding and food!"

With her outrage gone, all that remained was a gaping hole in Suki's heart. Oh how she wished Kora, the kindly old healer, had been here. She felt a tight squeeze around her heart and a tear managed to leak out of fiercely squinted eyes. Christopher looked on her with puzzled concern at her face.

She heard other animals and wondered aloud in a rather strangled voice, "Distract me. Where in the world am I?"

All signs of curiosity off his face, the impenetrable mask returned, "You, Mrs. Suki, are currently in the recuperation ward of the American Wildlife Society Center." He offered, "I can help you with some of your requests," he continued, "but why the hell are you even here? You're having a baby while a…a wolf? That seems, well…."

Suki barked a forced laugh at Christopher's completely bewildered expression. "I'm here because I have to be. I'll figure it out. I will. I can."

She said in justification, "I can see that this doesn't make much sense to you. When my children are born, they will always be in the same form as me. When I change, they will change too. Until they come of age. Besides, wolves have natural instincts and recover quickly."

Of course, now that I have no pack to uphold honor for, I'll be able to do many things differently, Suki contemplated.

Christopher seemed to be mulling over everything he had been told and said, "I believe you, but aren't you afraid of never being able to live a normal life, or having scientists study you?"

The woman scoffed, bluffing over the sharp tip of memories of the pack, "I have nothing left to lose; Ego mos non exsisto vix….I will not be scared." She added testily, "As for your other possible situations, unless you choose to mention me to anybody, Mr. Christopher, I will remain a seemingly insignificant, perfectly normal _wolf_."

Christopher's brow furrowed, maybe she was more dangerous than he thought. Instead of imagining a giant wolf attacking him, he asked, "What do you mean with that exista vix jumble?"

"Latin," she replied.

Suki gave a rueful laugh and thought of how Teague had always said that "it was duty for the sacred language to be remembered" at lessons, and of Nuri mocking him after class. Lost in memories laced with searing pain, Suki was silent as she reminisced.

Suki pleaded, almost as if to convince herself she had not wronged, "_I_ made this decision; it was the best choice."

"What were your other options?" he inquired fairly uneasily.

She spat out the answer in loathing, "Being found by abolitionists."

This time, Christopher asked in guarded interest. "_Who_ would find you?"

Suki answered coldly, "Abolitionists believe they are ridding the world of a monster when a Lycanthrope falls at their hand."

He gave her a curious look. "_Lycanthropes_?"

"Werewolves," Suki sighed in remorse, "who were meant to be an amicus humani generis - a friend of the human race." She added, "So…what of my requests? What do _you_ think I should do?"

All the time suki thought about Christopher's open curiosity, how all this could be used against her. That no one could be trusted.

The pair then began the discussion of Suki's fate.

A/N: I don't know if Christopher's reaction to suki is realistic. You can tell me if you think it was completely wrong. Review please! It makes me feel guilty and then i try to post another chapter faster. But I'm really busy with school and whatnot. I'm going to be in a singing valentine group on feb.14 at my school so i have to practice. And i have dance team. And not to mention homework. Sorry i know these are all pathetic excuses ; )


	4. An Aquaintance

**A/N: Who knows how to write a Disclaimer? I don't. Sniff. ya well...i realize i have decieved my millions of fans. Muahahahahahahaha! werewolf falling is not mine. Suki isn't even mine, she was just kinda a background character. So now she gets to be the star!!! But Christopher is so mine.**

Suki was beginning to feel a throb in time with her heartbeat in her leg when Christopher glanced at his watch.

"It's nearly been an hour; the time was half past five when I came to check on the _wolf_," he exclaimed.

Christopher was quick to assuage her unvoiced fears, "Your secret is safe with me, Ma'm, until you know what you would intend to do. For now, why don't I bring you some supper? Eat as a wolf, so you won't stir up unnecessary questions. It's only a chain link fence." He added, "Let me wrap a bandage onto your leg too."

Suki nodded her assent and shifted in a flash. Christopher stepped closer and squatted. Suki remembered how time had passed swiftly and how the overwhelming misery had seemed lighter in the wildlife worker's presence. It seemed so absurd to hear Christopher address her "Ma'm".

He tended to her injury with surprising tenderness for one with such leathery and large hands as he rewrapped her wound and applied more ointment.

She yelped in agony when the stinging salve touched her swiftly healing, but nevertheless open, wound. Before Suki could stop the reaction, she had nipped Christopher. Her mind rebelled against the thought of causing any pain to the one friend (or at least her one accaintance who wasn't dead) but her fears were unfounded. He had obviously done this many times and had been expecting her attempt.

Prompted by a slightly apologetic, wolfish grin, Christopher said, "I'll be back with your requests as soon as I can."

With the "clang" of a door, Suki was once again alone.

**Since i know you are going to hit that little review button, tell me what names you like the best. These are possible choices for suki's kids. If anyone is reading this and cares, tell me what you think.**

**girl names:**

**sable**

**noire**

**adelaida**

**marianna**

**lina**

**laila**

**mariya**

**boy names:**

**drake**

**wolf?**

**adrian**

**sterling**

**jasper**

**tobias (or toby)**

**And if you like any other names, that's cool. Honestly, i like the girl names the best. o well.**

**Review!!!! please?**


	5. An Old Friend and A New Friend

* * *

**Sorry guys, i've been really busy. This is all i had time for; i promise another chapter. ; ) I'm not saying how long that will take. Thanks for the name suggestions, i'll definitely take that into consideration. I know how i was this to go in the long run, i just need to write the part in between. Enjoy! I love reviews.**

Even after yesterday's lengthy discussion, when he returned with food and clean bandages Christopher had endless questions to answer, "Why'd you come to the AWSC anyway?"

Suki remained soundless and still while her bandages were gently rewrapped. The task done, she proceeded to satiate her hunger. The brindled wolf licked her lips and rapidly changed form.

Finished eating, her tone was somber while she replied to her leather moccasins; "I came here because I was forced to. My pack was slaughtered by abolitionists; Ulric and Teague believed we were hidden well. Apparently we were mistaken; that proved to be a grave error. Everyone was slain, even the pups…"

He seemed to understand her need for quiet, and respected it in silence until curiosity got the better of him.

"What happened? How _did_ they find you?"

With a heavy heart Suki explained how Luc had come nearly a decade ago, how for years the pack had avoided crises with strict vigilance, how Luc and herself had been married for nearlyyear when tragedy hit. She even mentioned a brief history of the Golwyg Pack.

"If your pack is so secretive, why are you confiding in me, a mere _human_?" Christopher asked with honest puzzlement.

Suki answered, "You are trustworthy and compassionate." She struggled to explain, "I can smell it, well, not really. More like feel you; but only your strongest traits."

Without further ado, he said, "I have to leave. This may sound a little cliche but...well...thanks for trusting me. Bye."

She smiled a mischievous grin and nodded. "Bye."

She had a plan.

* * *

Amicus verus est rara avis - A true friend is a rare bird

After Christopher's footsteps faded from the corridor, Suki went to the door. It was connected to a wall of chain link fencing. She snickered, "Let's go meet the neighbors." The lock was hardly high security, but Suki's forepaws would've had a hard time with the simple latch. Suki cracked the door open and stepped out when the coast was clear. Envisioning her wolf body from muzzle to fluffy tail, she could feel her skull lengthen and her senses become even sharper. The black wolf left the door propped open and proceeded to sniff the other occupants through the fence. Many growled at the sight of her, but she tucked her tail and kept moving down the hall. Most of the wolves were already anxious and edgy; there were no alphas to lead a pack. Suki could smell that most were sick or injured.

When she reached the next pen, a familiar smell of pack and warmth reached her nostrils. She couldn't help but hope as she raced to a young white wolf. It turned and face her, amber eyes glowing. Her chest filled with joy when she realized the pup was Kevin and Rhea's. He was almost a year old and his name was Carlyle. In two adjacent pens, a boisterous pair, of Jeremy and Carina's litter. They yipped in excitement. Suki thought her heart would burst with joy; she had no time to waste, where were the others? Rounding a corner, an overwhelming stench stung her sensitive nose. With a growing sense of unease, she found Sterling.

Old grandfather wise Sterling.

And he was covered in blood.

**A/N: I'm not promising Sterling won't die. Leave some reviews to decide. : ) i am not above blackmail! **

**Btw, if u read the book Werewolf Rising, you know who this is.**

**AND...i'm very sorry this wasn't very long.**


	6. Howl

**A/N: I'm still making this up as i go along so, who knows, the ending might change. I just posted two chapters pretty close together, but I'll try to write another one soon. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own werewolf rising. : ( Do i have to freaking write one of these every chapter? This is _. _Who would write fanfiction for their own book or whatnot.**

Sterling reached through the fence and nudged his own nose to hers. Almost instantaneously she was pulled into the connection, and she understood why no one had attended to him. Sterling had allowed no human near him and the technicians were afraid to sedate him.

"Why?"

Sterling didn't even have the strength to answer in mind speak. Instead, he let images and memories pass over to her. He was going to die.

No, no no no. she wouldn't let him.

"Luc, he would want you here! You won't leave me. Damn it, stay with me!"

But already he was fading, she was too late. Sterling seemed exhausted with the effort it took to speak through their connection. He gave her a long hard look.

The mutilated wolf murmured, "You will be worthy of the Golwyg Pack legacy."

Suki felt a feeling buried deep inside stir within her. Her feeling was pride. Then she watched Sterling's chest rise and fall with shuddering, raspy gasps. Until his chest no longer rose. And so the father of Luc and Ranger died.

Suki dragged herself back to her cell. Along the way she told Carlyle, Angie and Maelina. They began customary mourning by howling. Even normal wolves could understand this, and they gave reverent silence. The howls resonated, bouncing off the cement walls. And Suki bayed in her cage. She yowled above all in her pack. Attendants came running to the wolves of Golwyg, bewildered. Soon Christopher was at her side.

He tried to soothe her before others came, but her grief would not be silenced. After Christopher moved away, another man stepped into her confinement. He held a long stick with a needle point. In a second Suki was on her guard, hackles up and teeth bared. She might trust Christopher, but that trust did not extend to all of his kind. He stuck with the swiftness of a snake on her hind leg. It wasn't even a minute before she could no longer stand; much less wail. Her eyes drooped no matter how hard she struggled. Then a merciful thing happened.

She fell into an undisturbed, dreamless, sleep.

**A/N: I thought this one was possibly my best so far. Tell me what you think. Any criticism or comments will be appreciated.**


	7. Carlyle

**A/N: I may not have made this clear but Carlyle is older than Angie and Maelina. He's almost as old as Suki. And Suki is just 18; she married Luc when they were both 17. The wolf pack has no taboos against marrying young. ;) But **_**anyway, **_**Carlyle is 16. **

**When wolves that are in the same pack touch they can speak with their minds. And when they say something while in wolf form then humans will only hear barks.**

But even sleep could not hold her for long; Suki woke up in a small carrier that was somehow mounted to the wall with maybe thirty total cages. And she didn't have to be a human to figure out she was in a vet office, it smelled of strong chemicals like bleach and anesthetic and disinfectant. Her ears perked when she heard a man and a woman in white lab coats speak in low voices.

"Adriana, she isn't normal, not even the fetuses are. I even ran some tests to confirm it. This wolf's bones are extremely buoyant."

"And…"

"She should have died at birth with a defect like that!"

"Maybe this is some miracle wolf. Okay. Weston, the Center doesn't have the funds for saving some weightless wolf. If she didn't look healthy, I might be worried about our donators getting whiff of this. Are we clear?"

"Listen, I ran some MRIs and CATs, her brain is enlarged on the left side. It's almost like an imitation of a human brain. Look!"

He shoved some papers to her and she looked over them.

"Have you tested the other three?"

"All the same results."

"Call up Kevin; he may want to put this in an article. We have a publicity moneymaker on our hands."

The moment both humans left the room, Suki began to pace. She circled was more like it. The kennel was barely 4 feet long. Instead of calming her, it made her feel hemmed in and trapped. She was worried. How could the wildlife center possibly make money off her?

As she was pondering she could hear a commotion. Someone was moving a kennel down on the end, and its occupant was not a happy camper. When she heard a growl she knew it was Carlyle.

"Carlyle?"

He started to yelp at her and she frantically scratched the lever that held the cage door. She wouldn't let the others leave so soon after being reunited with the pack. She managed to lift the lock with her teeth and raced to her cousin.

**A/N: I'm changing to first person.**

When the man carrying Carlyle's kennel saw me, he froze. Then slowly he grasped for a choke stick leaning against the wall. Carlyle burst out too, tail whirling like a cyclone. His whole demeanor changed when I raised my tail and head higher than his.

I might be a girl, but that didn't mean I couldn't hold my own. I was a whole year older. He can't walk all over me.

Guess I forgot about the whole pregnant part. Carlyle shoved me with his shoulder and I was immediately off balance. All the same we circled for tradition's sake. He rumbled deep down in his throat, and I jumped for his neck. His forepaw knocked me aside like a sack of flour. I was on my side and he growled for a second, giving me a chance to give up and be submissive. But I used the advantage to scramble to my legs and launch myself at him. I nicked his shoulder and drew blood. When he wrestled me to the ground I managed to scrape his vulnerable belly with my hind legs.

Meanwhile the humans were gathering round and trying to figure out how to break up the fight without hurting either of us.

Carlyle held his jaws around my throat and I gave up. My body went limp and I lay on my back. He was the dominant alpha of the pack. This was the way things worked. He let me up and I groveled and licked his chin with my tail between my legs.

I was technically beta female already. Angie and Maelina were still pups and all the others were…gone. I could tell Carlyle was already thinking about finding an alpha female. He is a horny 16 year old teenager after all.

I glance at the humans around us. They all smell of fear and sweat. Carlyle touches my nose.

"_Sorry, you know that wasn't a fair match_."

"_Then you shouldn't mess with a pregnant woman because it really pisses her off_." I joke.

I can feel the smugness radiating from him. We are wrapped up in our own little world of mind speak. Before Carlyle or I can react, four strong humans are holding us down. Then two others dart in and come to our heads. I whimper and futilely struggle. But no one notices because a woman is slipping a muzzle over my jaws. Then they pin my legs and put me back in the kennel I had escaped from. The only difference is the shiny lock button that is on top of the latch. A lock only an opposable thumb can open.

My cage is being carried, but I don't care. I'm trapped so I might as well be a stupid wolf. This thing isn't big enough for me to shift without hurting myself and I know it. It's 2'x2'x3'. But I can't help but notice the little sign by the door I go in.

It says: Research Lab.

**A/N: Carlyle and Suki are biological cousins, sometimes family terms are used interchangeably for any werewolf. I'm changing to first person because it feels right, sorry to be confusing. Anytime a wolf says something in mind speak from now on I'll put it in italics). Review because it took some time and effort to write this. Btw, i already thought of mybe doing a sequel. Tell me what you think it should be.**


	8. Daydreams in a Tunnel

**A/N: Suki is in wolf form and I'm thinking about actually sticking with first person. Sorry if I've managed to drive you crazy with the back and forth thing. The story goes on.**

**Disclaimer: I am not the author of Werewolf Rising, but THIS PLOT IS MINE! SUCK IT! ;)**

Luc's worst nightmare had come true and he wasn't even alive to see it. It had a certain irony to it. I was so accustomed to the ripping hole in my chest that I managed a chuckle to myself.

Haha very funny. Back to the lab, it had an interesting antiseptic smell. It was a kind of tangy orange scent with a burning aftertaste. And it had something else too. Hmm…so now I'm coming up with toothpaste commercials. Funny word. Commercials.

Com. Er. Siy. Alls.

Bad spelling

Like in school

Wow...strange....here?

Spinning

Lights

Circle

Pretty mirrors with eyes

So verry prreeettttyyyyyyyyyyyyy…………………………………………..

I could taste the awful goo in my mouth. This was the kind of goo from a 24 hour sleep. Wait. Hmm. All I could remember was being in the kennel and reading the sign. Everything after that was a sketchy haze of oranges and…lava lamps? Whoa! I really hope I'm not on crack. It's not healthy for the little ones.

I sniffed in the corner of my confinement. Dog food. Yech! No way was I eating that. I would starve first. I let my mind open and search the room, but I felt no familiar auras. Guess it's just me. Then I noticed the hunk of plastic around my neck. Just to give anyone a heads up, I can't morph with a _collar_ on. The thing would choke me. I can only wear natural cloth with wolf fur woven in my clothing. Anything else would rip to shreds as you went to wolf form. (This is pretty awkward when other people catch you changing to human and you aren't wearing anything at all. It happens to the best of us.) Not to mention the ever present muzzle. That is so not cool. First dog food and now a collar; I'll be a house pet by the time I'm out of here.

A woman walked over to my doghouse and took hold of a metal leash. Wait, that thing was connected to me. No matter what this bitch here thought she was taking on, we were not going for a walk. Then she pulled up sharply. Oh. This was a choke collar.

Yippee, walk time! I realized she was going to open my door. Within five seconds flat I had spotted my exit and tensed every one of my muscles. I could smell the two men on either side of me. They were so calm. She opens the door and I lunged forward only to be ensnared by a metal net thing. With a tug from both brutes one either side my plan was effectively postponed. We walked down a hallway to a small room. It was plain and stark with no furniture in sight, just like all the others I had been in so far. They placed me at the foot of a tube of sorts and maneuvered the net so that it covered the opening. They had no intentions of letting me go free. The only way forward was the tunnel.

Their hopes were in vain. I wouldn't play their pretty games. But then I smelled the rich aroma of meat and my resolve faltered. I had refused to eat the processed crud they had sent through the little bowl sized door this morning. The wolf instincts in me urged me to get a meal before others stole it. I took a step forward, just one. I would only smell, not eat.

That first step led to another and soon I was following the mouthwatering scent that wafted through what appeared to be a maze. What the hell was this for? I wondered what they would do if they found out the lab rat could speak Latin and do algebra. Soon the smell intensified and I lengthened my stride. I got to the end and saw a piece of raw steak with my name on it.

Needless to say, I ate it. Call the cops. But not at the end, I dragged it to the full middle of the tunnel to a secluded dead end. The maze itself was pretty compact, small but twisted. I could hear them setting bait at the other end once again. Stupid scientists were probably hoping to lure me out. Well it wasn't going to happen; I had eaten my fill. I nestled down and turned three times before drifting off to sleep.

I jerked awake and was instantly alert. A pungent odor was drifting from where I had first entered. It was the stench of an aggressive male wolf. A non-lycan loner was here. Something was a little off, but I wasn't about to stick around to see. As Carlyle had shown me, I wasn't up for any scuffles. I loped in the direction of the exit I had seen before, no doubt back into the hands of my captors, when I did a double take. I couldn't hear anything at all from the other male. I couldn't feel any aura at all. It made no sense. All the same I wasn't taking any chances. The soulless wolf would remain a mystery.

I turned to the end of the tunnel and basically handed myself on a silver platter to some sick scientists. Who knew? But the more I thought about it the more my plan became genius. Like evil take over the world worthy. I give myself too much credit.

I act stupid, then I bust this joint. One big monkey-wrench in the middle of things: I was 7 months pregnant.

I could feel them sometimes. Little nudges and kicks filled me with wonder. It was like Luc was alive somehow, in someway he lived on. I loved to look at baby names with him. We would pore over books, rejecting and considering. Ashley, Adrian, Mariya, Luc Jr., Daeni. Would we name them after family members? The possibilities were endless. There were 4 pups. That was a small litter, eight was not unheard of. And I could lose myself in daydreams of futures I would never have.

Such beautiful, impossible daydreams.

**A/N: Sorry guys! I have been really busy and school has been super stressful. I am pretty happy with this chapter. The next one will probably be with more action and whatnot. And I'm warning you now, it will most likely be extremely tragic. Unless i change my whole plot, which i am not so keen on doing. BTW: i need name suggestions, so feel free to tell me your ideas, i realize i had some names earlier, but they were for the kids only. SO....................... **

**_REVIEW_**

**_or else!_**

**_*ominous cackle*_**


	9. Right Now

**End of Chapter 8**

I snuggled my nose into my tail, I just wanted to escape back into oblivion. Was it really so much to ask? I was back in a kennel, but this one was bigger and comfier, with cushioned bedding and a den like igloo. I was regularly checked up by the local veterinary staff at the center and, from what I could gather, my pops were doing just fine. Lately though, I had contractions that were extremely painful and I was not a happy camper. I was irritable; I growled and snapped at anyone who came too close. Christopher visited regularly. I could tell that he wanted to speak to me, but we never got the chance to be alone.

Suddenly a wave of pain smashed into me. I managed a broken whimper and curled up ever more tightly.

And then I knew that the babies were coming. Right now.

**A/N: I love the suspense! So review for chapter 9. please : (**


	10. The Birth

**A/N: Btw this is set in Montana. I meant to say that in like the third chapter but I looked over it and realized I didn't actually write that. Sorry! But now you know. I moved this under the category fairy tales because that seemed like the one closest to the original book. Whatever. :) R & R**

I had assisted a midwife before, but all the mothers had been in human form. The women were bathed in sweat, crying and sometimes screaming. Compared to that, my actual labor is a relief. I feel only a slight discomfort in my abdomen. The whole veterinary staff seems to be waiting outside the kennel. They had even taken off my muzzle. My mind is in a hole of terror. I am a whole two months early. What is going to happen? As soon as the first pup is out, I began to lick her. My rough tongue is all I am able focus on and pure animal instinct takes over.

Glove-covered hands snatch my first baby away from me, but I am too preoccupied to stop them. Soon the second, third, and fourth are nestled around me. But as I lick and nudge them, I become worried. I whine and nose their little bodies insistently, but receive no response. Why won't they nurse?

Then I hear someone say, "…too premature, they won't make it through the night."

No! I won't let them die. Not again! They will make it. I have to protect them! I have to protect them for Luc. I nudge them in the direction of my stomach to nurse. Their small fragile mouths have trouble and I can only use my jaws to help them gently. I need opposable thumbs! There is only one nurse left; I figure I can risk a change. With much effort I manage to get that damn collar off. Then I change to my human form, as the newborns do. Mercifully, this does not bother my little ones. They continue to doze. At the back of my mind I am still worried about him, the first one, but of the ones I had left, there are two girls and a boy. They are the most beautiful things in the world. I hold the littlest girl that had the most birthmarks.

"It's startling how much she looks like me," I consider.

She has the same dark (with natural highlights) hair and green eyes. I realize, even after all this time, I am still unsure about names.

I could name her Laina, for both of her grandmothers that were named Laila and Lina. The name fits. She is perfect. I began to breastfeed her and eventually switch to the others. The other boy and girl are bigger, but not as feisty nor vigorous as Laina. I am empty of name ideas. Soon my eyes are fluttering and I am only staying awake by sheer will. So after I am a wolf again, I fall into exhausted sleep next to my darlings.

**********************************************************************************

When I wake up, I can tell something is wrong. There is only one pup sleeping beside me. Laina is breathing softly and her heart is steady. But where are they? My other babies? I whine softly. Then I see the nurse from last night leaving through the door. But what is she carrying? My sensitive nose has caught the stench of death.

No. It wasn't possible, it couldn't be. Then I hear a heart wrenching wail. It came from my own mouth, I realize. Slowly it fades into a strangled moan. They are gone. Dead. Their little lives cut all too short. Come on! Hold it together for Laina. Take care of her! She is the most important. It is at this moment that I grasp how much motherhood has changed me, to the very fibers of my being. My happiness will always take the backseat for her. I would sacrifice anything. I would kill and be killed before I let my child be harmed.

As all this dawns on me, Christopher, Carlyle, Angie, and Maelina appear at the door. They are all in human form.

"Come on Suki!" Christopher hisses, "We're going to escape. I brought this little guy."

I growl, "His name is Adrian," before I figure out that he can't understand.

Angie explains what I said to the wildlife worker as Carlyle walks over to me and undoes the latch. I grab the scruff of Laina's neck in my jaws and am racing out the door and through the hallways without a second thought.

***************************************************

Christopher leads the way through the labyrinth of hallways to a restroom. We all manage to cram inside and Angie shuts the door. They suck air into their lungs, winded. I take steady intakes of breath; my wolf respiratory system is barely breaking a sweat. Christopher debriefs us.

"Okay guys, here's the plan. I lead the way while you listen for anyone who comes down the halls. There shouldn't be as much staff as there normally is because it's Sunday. I'll swipe my card at the east wing exit and everyone will head in the direction of the forest and lose any pursuers.

"We will meet at the cabin I told Carlyle about," he jokes "and I will attempt to send helpful smoke signals. I cannot guarantee my ability to light a fire." "Everybody clear? Comments, questions, concerns? We have really got to get out of here before anyone finds us."

**(Suki is a human again)**

Soon enough we are gathered around in Christopher's kitchen. He owns a small cabin near Helena, which was where we had been all this time. I have to admit, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Animal Shelter know their stuff. My leg is completely healed; only a thin white line remains of my wound. Apart from some soreness as a result of stretching my legs, it is fine.

Suddenly, Carlyle announces, "We will go back to Wolf Point. I had time to think it through and we will not give up our home. Those who were in the city might not know and we'll have to tell the other packs of the abolitionists' new audacity. Revenge can wait; our ranks are severely depleted. I intend to stay, permanently."

I could hear my breath stop. After Angie and Maelina are busy cooing over Laina and Adrian, I turn to Carlyle.

"Can I speak with you alone, cousin?"

He nods and we walk off a ways so no one overhears our conversation.

"Carlyle, I think I want to go alone. I want to visit to…make a," my voiced cracks, "grave. I don't need an audience."

"How will you carry both Adrian and Laina?"

"If you help me make a sling I'll travel fastest by wolf. I can even stop by Dr. Sanger's office."

Dr. Sanger was one of the few wolves that worked for all of the packs. He and his staff treated all the local werewolf packs. He had treated me as a baby and now he would care for my own children. Finally Carlyle nods in acquiesce.

"I will allow it."

I sigh in inner relief. If Carlyle, as pack leader, doesn't approve he could stop me from going with a single command. I want to leave before others come to our pack. Once other members join, I am destined to become zeta again. A submissive wolf that is at the mercy of others. It isn't a very noble title, but someone has to bear it. Ever since infancy, I have been small. I was an easy target for the other pups to mark dominance over. I think Carlyle knows I plan to leave his new Golwyg Pack for good. So many memories are too fresh and painfull. Sometimes I wish the abolitionists had gotten me from the beginning; this agony is worse than death at times.

I could get a job, maybe even rent an apartment. I would go somewhere hot. No, I have no intentions of rejoining the pack.

He jolts me out of my daydreams, "When are you leaving?"

"Tonight."

I gather a drowsy Adrian and Laina from their babysitters, one under each arm. We have to get ready.

**A/N: Do you like the way i wrote this in present tense or something, tell me? It was a little hard and i had to go through the whole thing and change it. Wolf Point and Helena are real places and I'll try to use real settings in this story. If u have any questions about the pack or werewolf whatnot, make sure to ask in a review. I'll answer you for sure, i have everything clear in my head but i might leave too much to be assumed. Chapter 11 will be about Suki the single mother at 18! lol.**

******Just to warn you, things are going to get more complicated after this chapter. I really want to write the POV of other characters. **I will try to post longer chapters from now on, and i have a lot of time on my hands. My school is cancelled until May 11 for swine flu! So awesome! 

**4 reviews for this chapter? please? THe most i've gotten is 3 per chapter. I've noticed some of you have stopped. You _do_ want chapter 11, right?**


	11. A Fresh Start

**Chapter 11**

_A Fresh Start…_

**A/N: It's been a week since Suki left the pack. She visited Wolf Point. R&R**

I leave Wolf Point and never look back. As I drive, I remember how shocked Luc had been when he had been when he was allowed access to the bank account. It had surprised him that we were so technological. After seeing the way we lived, I would have been taken aback too. The pack lifestyle is almost Amish. But Luc had brought a wave of change for the younger generations. We got internet access, texted, and exposed ourselves to the outside as much as possible. It was like we finally saw what we were missing, a whole new world opened before our eyes.

Up until that time, The Golwygs had been especially traditional; only Ranger had been outside our grounds regularly. Day jobs were easy to maintain despite commute time back to our homes. It was hard for developing werewolves to make the change without going rouge, especially young ones. But this was mostly a concern for half humans; they changed around the teen years. Most of us wanted jobs as we grew into adolescence. We added to the already bloated funds of our pack. Any of us could use it, no one minded. Werewolves rarely lived outside the pack; I suppose I am an oddity.

So when I stop at an ATM beside a gas station on Highway 2 W, I have no qualms about withdrawing a couple thousand. My first stop would be the target that was in the Circle, Montana. That was going to take at least an hour and a half.

We took a lot of feeding breaks. Two hours later, I was in target. I grabbed a lot of stuff…but it was necessary stuff.

a change of clothes for all of us

some comfy blankets

some snacks (basically formula, jerky, and two packages of raw meat)

a double stroller

some baby bottles

a changing pad

diapers

wipes

a chocolate brown Moby wrap baby carrier

a mobile for your car

a car seat

I make my way to check out lane 9 and the cashier coos over my babies.

"How precious, twins! They are soooooooo little. Hi there. Oh…what vivid eyes. "

She continues to talk baby gibberish to Laina and Adrian annoyingly. I observe them; they are not exactly identical; they don't share their eye color or Laina's marks. Even when they're wolves, their coloring is different. Adrian's pelt is russet and Laina is deep black. Laina's eyes are brilliant jade while Adrian's are a startling yellow gold. The checker seems a little taken aback by their gleaming colors.

"They're my niece and nephew."

"It's so wonderful that you would help out for being so young. Now, who's your sister? Hon, I didn't quite catch her name."

I mumble some excuse and manage to get out of there as soon as I can. That stupid nosy woman had really ticked me off. Harrumph! She had no reason to be so particular about their eyes. I know that humans are prone to be intimidated by our wolfish similarity. That was by no means a reason to be rude! I seethe silently, but then Adrian attempts to get my attention by bawling at the top of his lungs.

It works, and I rush to my old grumbler of a station wagon in the parking lot to change his diaper. I give then both Eskimo kisses before loading up the car with purchases. This not so efficient wagon is new to me. It was a bargain and I was short on time. Plus a car seat free with purchase. A lucky coincidence, I guess.

I have a little trouble with the new car seat, but finally manage to buckle everyone and start the car. I've decided to go to Texas, maybe Dallas or Corpus Christi or Austin or San Antonio. I don't know and I don't care. It'll be like a road trip that lasts 4 days.

We hit highway I-94 E on our way to Texas. It's been little more than an hour and we are driving toward Bismarck when I see the sign that says: "Entering North Dakota." It's only another 20 miles to get to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We can stop there. I just pulled over to feed Adrian and he is soundly asleep, but Laina will wake up eventually. I try to feed them once every hour and keep them a half hour apart. I glance at the dashboard; it says that it's 11 already. We can make it to the park and then stop for the night.

As I drive on autopilot, my mind is free to wander and worry. I tackle my next problem, a job. I know that the pack money will only go so far. It's only a matter of time. I tie myself in circles trying to find a solution. At least I'm not a minor anymore. I won't be picky. I'll take a job anywhere, I'll do it. Even so I still have no idea what I can do with the kids while I'm working. I know daycare isn't the best idea. Ugh!

I focus on the road again and drive into the parking lot in front of the park. The ticket booth is on and the sign reads:

"Camping - $5"

I decide I can just park the car and slip through the fence in wolf form. My eyes are perfect for night vision and I scan the area carefully. The guard is fast asleep in the tollbooth. Could they make this any easier?

Apparently they can because there is a Suki sized hole in the fence. I carry Laina and Adrian by turns in my mouth. It's slow going. On the bright side, my wolf form bears the sleep deprivation much better. I was afraid of falling asleep at the wheel earlier. I sniff around and find an empty dugout den. It looks so warm and safe. I can't remember the last time I slept a full night. Maybe when I first came to the wildlife center? I curl up around my babies and slip into welcoming slumber.

**A/N: Sorry!!! I realise its been a month since the last chapter, and i'm really sorry. Last Friday was the last day of school for me and it was so hectic b/c everyone was trying to asign their projects last minute b/c of swine flu and this is the first chance i had to type this chapter even though i had it for a while. I still didn't make it over 3 reviews, but don't get me wrong. I would like to thank those who reviewed in chapter 10:**

**Only if you wish it.**

Sapphire-Phoenix-Of-Darkness

S4ltv1n3g4r

**Thank you so much!!! Now that it's summer my goal is to post a chapter a week** _for any of my stories._** But i will probably be a little unpredictable. Review and make my day, i'll update faster. Can i pls have 4? Please? : )**


	12. Getting There

Chapter 12

Getting There

**A/N: About the whole sequel thing… This story isn't going to go on much longer if I make a whole new fanfic for the second part. I'm thinking about just continuing this story and writing from Suki, Adrian, and Laina's POV. Good or Bad? Tell me what you think.**

**Disclaimer:**

I look in the mirror and nobody needs to tell me I look like hell warmed over. I don't smell that good either. That's what you get when you go three days without showering. I've been driving nonstop ever since Roosevelt National Park, even at night. It makes up for all the stops I must take to breastfeed Adrian and Laina. Now and then I even manage to get a little catnap on these breaks, pardon the pun. I haven't slept more than four hours since my pups came into the world a week ago. And as an added bonus, exhaustion almost eclipses the sorrow eating at me.

The comforting things they always say about moving on aren't true. I've been branded by Luc. He opened my eyes and heart. No, I couldn't turn my back on the heartbreaking memories even if I wanted to. It's an ocean of pain I'm swimming in. All I can do is tread water and try to stay above. My children are the only reason for me to fight the dark depths of despair, the only reason I have to continue struggling for.

But even the depressed need to eat. A dusty gravel side road beckons my rumbling stomach and I take a right. Then I stop my old granny of a station wagon. This is a perfect stop for catching tidbits like squirrels, prairie dogs, lizards, and jackrabbits. I won't be able to bring down anything big like a deer without a pack. Jack rabbits a la mode it is. It's bare, covered only by sparse saguaros and mesquites, nettles and tumbleweeds. I settle the little ones before I shift. While a wolf they will be blind and deaf with no den to protect them. All they can do is cry, which will only attract predators. I won't be gone long so I decide to crack the windows and lock the car. When I shift all I can do is listen to my insatiable need and hunt.

***

As the last morsel of my meal is snapped up in my jaws, I gurgle in delight. There's nothing like a sizzling scrumptious prairie dog. They're ever so juicy and tender. I even managed to catch some type of fowl. Satisfied, I return to my pups. They are contentedly sleeping, so blissfully unaware of how much my heart throbs when I look at them. Laina has splotches of her father's grey pelt; Adrian has his yellowy eyes.

I tear my eyes away from their slumber. Soon I'll have to make them some suitable clothing that will shift with them; it has to be made of a natural material with some of their own fur put in the seams. (Aka cotton or wool but not spandex or nylon.)

Suddenly an idea occurs to me. What if I could avoid some of the pain? Would Luc despise me wherever he may be now? Could he really disapprove of me trying, not to forget, but to lessen my burden? Might he condemn me so cruelly to my one remnant of peace?

I realized the answer is no. Luc loved me. So then and there under the desert sun I vow to myself that this world will never again see me as a wolf.

That solemn oath made; I start the car, and we begin the last leg of our journey to… "drum roll" … Corpus Christi!

**Please review and i'll post chapter 13. : ) Hope you liked it. Thanks to:**

**Juddlegirl**


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